Doesn’t it sound fantastic!? I can’t say I’m a “real” literary editor, but I dabble as one and I have helped many writers over the years. Giving feedback to aspiring writers who are aiming to get published is difficult, but fun. I love helping out and using the knowledge I have accumulated over the years.
Since 2009 I have participated in a number of writing classes. (You can find a list under CV in the top menu.) I have studied plays, film scripts and creative writing, and I have a Bachelor of Arts specialising in Drama/Theatre/Film at the University of Umeå, Sweden. During all this time learning, part of it has been reading other people’s texts and giving feedback. The task of a literary editor.
Loose Ends and Plot Holes
My specialities are finding loose ends and plot holes. I am a sucker for correct grammar and spelling, but that isn’t a priority until shortly before publishing. A mistake many people do when they read a text for the first time, is looking for grammatical errors. Most writers find that annoying, because we all make mistakes while writing. The key is to get the story together first.
If you’ve every tried to write a book you know that the first draft is just that. A first draft. Then the real job starts – to edit the story to perfection. Well, at least to the best of your abilities. When it’s done, that’s usually where a literary editor – or I – come in!
Jano and the Children in the Forest
I have given feedback to many enthusiastic writers and hopefully helped them on their journey. In the beginning I might not have been as careful as I am today. We have to acknowledge the fact that the written word can be interpreted differently depending on who the recipient is. Written feedback can be a delicate matter.
A cooperation that worked out well was with me as literary editor and author Berith Juvonen. Berith published her first book in August of this year, Jano och barnen i skogen – Upptakten, which translates to Jano and the Children in the Forest – The Beginning. It’s a children’s book, but quite scary.
The city of Skellefteå in northern Sweden is taken over by “government troops” because a dangerous virus is spreading. Parents and children over 5 years are separated and brought to camps, but Jano and his siblings manage to escape. There is something strange about the soldiers and the alleged virus…
A Word from the Author…
I helped Berith in different stages of the writing process, but most of the work was done only weeks before publishing. This is what she said about our cooperation:
Without Ingrid’s reading of my script, and her both concise and detailed comments, the text wouldn’t have been as good as it was – and the script wouldn’t have been accepted by the publisher.
– Berith Juvonen, author
I am very grateful for her help.
The book is part of a series and the next one is planned to get published in August 2022.
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Photo by Canva